Sports Sense

Despite the continued public ridicule, the sponsors who’ve abandoned him, and the devastating damage to his public image, Tiger Woods’ announcement Tuesday that he will return to competitive golf at the Master’s in a couple of weeks is welcome news.

The Master’s, one of golf’s four major tournaments, is where Tiger’s legend was cemented. He has won there four times.

You could almost see the delight in the eyes of the announcers at ESPN – the sports network which will televise the Master’s early rounds – who could barely contain themselves as they reported the news. For ESPN executives it means they can now charge top dollar for those oh so few Master’s commercials. For the PGA, which has waited breathlessly for Tiger to determine when and where he would comeback, it means a return to business as usual – in other words, doing whatever Tiger wants it to do. For the players who will try to spoil Tiger’s return, it simply means that viewers will be watching golf again and maybe even cast a glance at them once in awhile.

It has been a long winter since the accident/incident with his wife Elin exposed Tiger’s well-crafted and very private image as a fraud. Frankly, I’ve grown tired of all I’ve heard. It’s been too much. But most of my friends believe that Tiger is big enough to handle this. They say he created this mess, so it’s up to him to get out of it. But trust me, Tiger will get a lot of help. Too many people and too many companies need him.

Tiger announced his return in a press release on his website. Good old Tiger, controlling the media’s access like always. But what else should we have expected. Especially after the “heartfelt” apology that he “read” the last time we saw him speak a month ago.

Most of us don’t like what we have learned about Tiger’s secrets, and we have sanctimoniously abhorred all the “garbage” that we voraciously consumed about Tiger’s life and lusts. He became another athlete who let us down, but as a bonus gave us lots to gossip about.

Nonetheless, the reality is that golf and sports fans still need Tiger Woods more than he needs golf. The TV ratings have been down by a lot since Tiger’s been gone.

I have always enjoyed the miraculous and sometimes overwhelming beat-downs that Tiger administered to his golf rivals. And even though my enjoyment of Tiger’s successes has been tempered due to recent circumstances, in time I’m sure Tiger’s future dominance will eventually provide me with the same satisfaction as before.

Welcome back Tiger. It’s time to talk about golf.

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For many other players it would have simply been a happy homecoming. Another feel good end of a career story. But we’re talking about Allen Iverson. Iverson is one of the greatest one-on-one talents to have ever played the game of basketball. If there was a pound-for-pound, inch-for-inch crown, the 6 foot tall 175 pound Iverson would wear it as the undisputed champion of basketball.

But the light is dimming on his career. And sadly on his reputation. Coming home is one last chance to change minds. To regain his pride. To get back into the starting lineup.

Maybe that’s why Allen Iverson cried so emotionally when he announced his return to the Philadelphia 76ers. The tears were real. Iverson’s pain remains deep.

Allen Iverson is the original hip-hop basketball superstar.

He became a man in an era when you were deemed soft if you smiled too much. Allen had the tats, the cornrows, the attitude, and the skills, but most importantly he was a hero who never left the hood. He was still hard. That was the upside for Iverson for a lot of years as he often led the league in scoring and spectacular plays.

But when he was traded to Detroit from Denver last season something changed. Yes, he got hurt, but there were other pains as well. For the first time he seemed irrelevant. A high scoring loser playing out the last days of a forgettable career. He deserved better. But he has mostly himself to blame. And he knows it.

Allen Iverson is struggling. At 34 years of age he is grappling with who he is as an athlete, and ultimately who he is as a man.

This season playing for Memphis, he wasn’t willing to come off the bench. So he quit. For a minute it appeared he had retired. But mostly he was mad. Of course he can still play. He was the best player on the Grizzlies as he would be on most teams. But for Iverson, his reputation as a me-first, shoot-first player, had lost it’s appeal.

Right now Iverson is feeling every possible emotion.

You can’ t always shake the image that people have of you. But you can change the image you have of yourself.

It’s up to Allen now. He’s home.

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